Starter for auto-motors.



A. BAIR.

STARTER FOR AUTO MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-9,1913.

1 1 .41 fl o Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

jy olz Inventor Attorneys THE NORFI PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHO, WASHINGTON, D. z,

A. BAIR.

STARTER FOR AUTO MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9. 1913.

Patented May 25, 1915.

1 MELU33Q 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witnesses Attorneys ca, PHOTO'L/THQ, \VASH ALVIN BAIR, or TIFFIN,

OHIO.

STARTER FOR AUTO-MOTORS.

mamas.

Application filed October 9, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALVIN BAIR, a citlzen of the United States, residing at Tiflin, 1n the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Starter for Auto- Motors, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a starter, adapted to be assembled with the shaft of an engine of a motor propelled vehicle, to permit the shaft to be initially rotated, without compelling the operator of the vehicle to descend therefrom.

One object of the present invention is to provide a starter of the type indicated which will work no change in the standard construction of the crank and the engine shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a starter which may be operated with safety to the user.

The invention aims to provlde means whereby the clutch elements of the crank and the engine shaft may be operatively connected.

It is within the scope of the inventionto improve generally and to enhance the utility of, devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

lVith the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention In the accompanying draw1ngs:F1gure 1 shows in top plan, a portion of a motor propelled vehicle to which the device forming the subject matter of this applicat on has been applied. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the vehicle showing the parts of the starter as the same will appear when the invention has been operated to effect an initial rotation of the crank shaft; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, parts being broken away; Fig. 4 is an end elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing the starter in its normal position; Fig. 5 is a perspective of the clutch actuating lever.

In the accompanying drawings, the frame or body of a vehicle is shown and denoted generally by the numeral 1, the numeral 2 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915,

Serial N 0. 794,312.

indicating the engine, the shaft whereof is denoted by the numeral 3, the same carrying a clutch 4. A crank shown at 5 is provided with a clutch 6 adapted to cooperate with the clutch 4, the clutches 4 and 6 being normally held out of engagement by means of a spring 7. The crank 5 is shown as j0urnaled for rotation in bearings 8 and 9.

The foregoing constitutes a portion of a common and well known construction meriting no more extended description than that above given.

In carrying out the invention, a curved frame is secured to the crank 5, the said frame including a peripherally grooved segment 10. This segment 10 may be of any desired shape, contour and length. At one end the segment 10 carries a clip 11 whereby the segment is detachably assembled with the crank 5. Secured to the segment 10 adjacent the other end thereof is a spoke 12, carrying a clip 14 which is detachably connected with the crank 5. The curved frame hereinbefore mentioned may include other spokes, one of which, indicated by the numeral 15, extends between the segment 10 and the spoke 12.

The foregoing details may be varied within large limits, without jeopardizing the utility of the invention, it being necessary, merely, that a curved frame of some appropriate sort is detachably connected with the crank 5.

A flexible element, such as a chain 16 is secured at one end to the clip 11 and, under normal conditions, as shown in Fig. 4, the flexible element 16 lies in the groved periphery of the segment 10. The flexible element 16 is trained about a sheave 17 which is journaled for rotation upon a bracket 18 carried by any accessible portion of the frame of the vehicle. Beyond the sheave 17 the flexible element 16 is passed through a guide 19 which may be in the form of a tube or pipe. In the present instance, the forward end of the guide tube 19 is mounted on an arm 20, constituting a part of the bracket 18 on which the sheave 17 is journaled, the rear end of the guide tube being extended through the dash board 21. Secured to the rear end of the flexible element 16 and Within easy reach of the occupant of the vehicle is a handle 22.

Pivoted to the clip 14 is a link 23 attached to a flexible element 24, in the present instance shown in the form of a chain. The

.24 is detachably connected. as indicated at 25 with one end of a retractile spring 26, the other end of which is connected with a bracket 27 mounted upon the frame of a vehicle. That end of the flexible element 24 which is adjacent the bracket 27 hangs slack as indicated at 28 and is connected with the bracket 27 or is otherwise fixed.

Extending transversely of the frame of the vehicle is a lever 29, shown in detail in Fig. 5. At its inner end, the lever 29 terminates in a fork 30, engaged with the crank in front of the clutch 6. The outer end of the lever 29 is fulcrumed as indicated at 31 upon a support 32, secured to some convenient portion of the vehicle frame. If

desired, the lever 29 may be given a quarter dicated at 34, is pivoted as shown at 34 to V twist as indicated at 33, so that the fork will stand vertically, to the end that the fork may cooperate properly with the clutch 6. A connection, which maybe a chain, in

the intermediate portion of the lever 29, the rear end of the connection 34 being pivoted to a pedal 35 fulcrumed as indicated at 36 7) upon the footboard 36, or Otherwise located within easy reach of the foot of the operator.

The practical operation of the structure hereinbefore set forth is as follows :Presupposing that the parts are positioned as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the free end of the pedal 35 is pressed down, whereupon the connection 34 will tilt the lever 29 upon its fulcrum 31, the fork 30 of the lever 29 engaging in front of the clutch 6 and moving the clutch 6 rearwardly, so that the same cooperates properly with the clutch 4 on the engine shaft 3, the spring 7 being put under tension. Thus, the crank 5 is coupled up operatively with the engine shaft 3. Presupposing that the 7 parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 4, the

handle 22, along with the chain 16, is drawn rearwardly, the chain 16 riding around the sheave 17. By this operation, the curved frame comprising the segment 10 and its connecting parts will be swung to the right until the frame moves from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 2. By this operation, a partial rotation will be imparted to the engine shaft 3,

, since the curved frame is connected with the crank 5 by means of the clips 14 and 11.

By the operation above described, he link 23 will be carried around from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 2, the

. link standing vertically, or nearly so, de-

, scribed, the chain 24 will be upon,

and the spring 26 will be put under tension. WVhen the handle 22 is released, the spring 26 willreact to restore the parts to the posi' tions shown in Fig. 4. The function of the looped portion 28 of the chain 24 is to prevent undue elongation of the spring'2'6 and to prevent the curved frame comprising the segment 10 and adjacent parts from moving toofar. i

The throw of the curved frame l012 together with the amount that the spring 26 is elongated, may be varied by shifting the point of connection with respect to the outer end of the spring 26, it being obvious that any link in the chain 24 may be, hooked in the'end of the spring 26. In case the motor should be working improperly, the chains 16 and 24 may be detached, respectively, from the segment 10, and the link23, whereupon the enginemay be cranked up in the usual manner.

One of the advantages of the, present Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, cooperating elements compr1s1ng a crank and a curved frame secured thereto; a flexible element trained about the curved frame; a rigid link located in a common plane with the crank; a spring; means for anchoring the spring; means for connecting the spring with the link; and a pivot element uniting the link with one of said cooperating elements at a point between the center of rotation of the crank and the outer end thereof, the length of the link being greater than the distance from the pivot element to the center of rotation of the crank.

2. In a device of the class described, a crank; a curved frame secured thereto; a flexible element trained about the curved frame; a flexible element connected with the curved frame and including a bight; a spring bridging the bight and adapted at one end for connection with the flexible ele ment at spaced points, thereby to vary the size of the bight; and means for fastening the other end of the spring and the flexible element.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ALVIN BAIR, Witnesses:

HEATH K. COLE, VILARIA M. MILLER.

(fopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0."

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